Behind The Ropes
by ReRex33
Summary: Nicole Carter is Vince McMahons niece, and he hates her. He puts her and her best friend boyfriend Randy Orton through a lot of challenges. John Cena, Steph McMahon, Big Show, and Kane are included.Disclaimer: I own nothing except Nicole Carter


As the sun peeked in through the window, it gave life into the upside Manhattan presidential suite. Nikki opened her eyes to the sound of birds chirping and the usual New York City noise.

She slowly walked to the mirror as she rubbed her eyes. As her long legs wobbled she steadied herself on the ornate dresser and looked into the mirror. Her blonde hair, which usually fell perfectly straight a few inches below her shoulders was now wild and knotty like she just walked out of a thorn bush. Her blue-grey eyes were still half closed and had mascara smudged around her eyelids and dark circle under her eyes.

Her fingers ran up her face and she gently touched the stitches on her forehead as she began to remember the night before.

She was famous, heir to the wrestling throne, a singer since she was five years old. She never wanted anything to do with the ring, but that was easier said then done. Her best fried since the day she was born was a wrestler. He also happened to be her boyfriend for three months. She had loved him for as long as she could remember, although she refused to admit it, everyone knew.

As much as she hated the business she loved fighting, and everyone of those wrestlers were a member of her family. A really dysfunctional family, one you don't want to mess with. Her uncle, Vince McMahon, had hated her since the day she was born. But he became even more bitter when she chose a microphone over a pair of wrestling boots. She spent her teenage years growing up in front of the country, and the envy of her fellow classmates. On top of everything that happened in her life she was always able to jump over every obstacle Vince threw her way. But she never imagined he would make her go through what happened last night… if only she could _remember_ last night.

Out of nowhere her cell phone rang and she snapped back to reality. She looked at the caller ID, Randy. Her heart skipped a beat and tried to make her voice sound like she didn't care he called. Randy always knew exactly when Nikki needed him. She flipped up the phone and took a deep breath.

"What do you want?" It was impossible to keep the happiness out of her voice, and the smile off of her face.

"I want you. Listen, meet me in the lobby in 45. We have a meeting about last night."

"Randy, I dunno what happened last night…" Her voice trailed off.

"Don't worry, I don't think anyone does. Look I gotta go, love you babe."

Click. The noise echoed in her ears as she looked back at her reflection. She barely recognized herself. What does he mean no one knows what happened last night? She shrugged and dragged herself to the bathroom and she began getting ready. She got in the shower and her open cut began to sting.

It was halfway through Monday nights show when Vince walked into the dressing room she shared with Trish.

"Nikki hun, Randy's never gonna get here in five minutes, yet alone ready to fight"

"He's never let me down before, it's worth a try"

She called his cell phone but it went t right to voicemail, it figures. She left a message telling him everything and hung up. She's used to going solo anyway. She geared up in three minutes and headed out of the room. Nikki's back bent backward as the hot water became cold freezing her in place. She jumped out and quickly got dressed in the nicest clothes she had and sprinted down the stairs toward the lobby. Randy, John Cena, Kane, and Big Show stood in a circle in front of the doors of the hotel.

"We thought you drowned in there. We've been waiting forever." John looked at her with sadness in his eyes.

"You missed the meeting Nik, Vince is pissed, so we have to go find somewhere else to stay. I guess he forced the hotel to kick us out." Randy pointed to the corner overflowing with duffel bags and Louis Vuitton suitcases. Leave it to Vince to throw them a curve ball and get them kicked out in the middle of Manhatten. Nikki flashed her famous half grin, grabbed some luggage, and walked out the hotel doors. She turned her head back at them, happier than she'd been all day. "Come on guys, we're heading to the Bronx. We can stay and me and Randy's old house. Besides, I need to catch up with the old gang."

She threw the bags in the backseat and stepped into her electric blue Ferrari that she got on her sixteenth birthday. Ever since they were kids they had wanted to have matching cars. So on Nikki's birthday they both got matching Ferraris. John called shotgun and jumped in the front seat of her car as the others went to Randy's as they sped off.

Thirty-five minutes later they were standing outside the old, cramped duplex. Inside, the wall in the middle had been knocked down to form one slightly larger house. They walked inside to figure out sleeping arrangements. The large living room had an old couch in the middle of the room with a coffee table in front of it. To the right was an old TV that had to be from the seventies. There were a few lamps and chairs scattered around the room, and a bookcase with old books and a few of Randy and Nikki's trophies from when they were kids. John and Nikki admired her award from Star Search, and the award Randy one for wrestling when he was 7. They turned around and saw Randy sitting on the couch as the two giants brought all the bags up the creaky old stairs. Nikki walked over and sat next to him and rested her head on his shoulder.

"Welcome home huh? Wow… the smells even bring back memories." Randy looked down at her and she sighed while sitting back up. She stared out the window at a group of people across the street who were rapping and break dancing, and to a few teenagers playing Craps on the corner down the street.

"Whoo Hoo! Back to the hood son!" Cena jumped down to meet them skipping at least 3 stairs at the same time. He collapsed in the chair across from Nikki. "I think we should head out, get our gangsta grooves on ya dig?" He laughed and looked from Randy back to Nikki. "You guys look like you just got hit by the 'UH OH' bus. You good to go or not?" Everyone nodded except her.

She shook her head, "Nah go ahead, I'll wait here. My head really hurts, I think I'm gonna go take a nap. You guys have fun and stay out of trouble." She gave them the McMahon evil eye, kissed her boyfriend, hugged John, and hopped up the stairs without another word. The last thing she needed was to see people she hadn't seen in years when she couldn't even remember what happened last night.

She put on one of Randy's tee-shirts and a pair of Cena's mesh basketball shorts that she managed to tie around her small waist. She walked to her old bedroom she shared with Randy and tears began to fall down her face. Everything was the same as they had left it almost 15 years ago when she signed a record deal and they all moved to Memphis. On one side, Randy's half, were blue walls covered with posters of his dad Cowboy Bob Orton, Ric Flair, Hulk Hogan Larry Byrd, and a few sports teams she didn't recognize. Army men covered the top of his dresser along with a few medals. On the wall above his bed was a collage of pictures of the two of them together from the day she was born until they were about 9 years old. Family pictures were on the nightstand and a lamp in the shape of a basketball hoop. Other than wrestling, basketball was the only other sport Randy liked, and if it wasn't for his wrestling genes she was positive Randy would be in the NBA now.

The other side of the room was painted a light pink and looked so much stranger next to the blue then it did when she was younger. A bed with a small canopy was in the corner. She remembered begging her and Randy's mom for one so she could feel like a princess. Posters of Madonna, Paula Abdul, New Kids On The Block, and Aretha Franklin were taped on the ceiling above her bed. She also remembered begging her father to let her put them up there so she could dream about singing like they did. Her dresser had cute little silver brushes that she never used and a small music box that doubled as a jewelry box. In the corner was an old boombox with old CDs in a messy pile next to it. She went to lie down and saw the old My Little Pony from her third birthday under the pillows. She lied down in the now to small bed. After a while of falling hugging the pony she finally fell asleep.

As Nikki waited for her music to hit she looked behind her at two small children from Make A Wish playing, and most likely pissing the tech crew off. A huge smile spread across her face as she remembered when her and Randy did the same thing when they were that age. She started to feel old, and when she saw them playing at the sound and pyro table she realized her music wouldn't be playing after all. She began to walk out to the ring in almost complete silence. As soon as the crowd saw her the arena erupted in cheers and her music finally went on. The announcer let everyone know that she would be in a 2-on-1 match against the Giants Big Show and Kane. The audience gasped and began to boo. Nikki smiled and waited for them to come out from behind the curtains. She felt like a little kid on Christmas Day. Random pyros flew out as she entered the ring and she fell down laughing. Her opponents came running out and she quickly jumped up. As soon as the bell rang she threw the first hit, and a pyro hit the ring in a huge explosion, sending it, and everyone inside it flying into the air.

She sat up fast with a cold sweat as loud voices bellowed from the kitchen below her. She got out of bed and every bone in her body ached. She managed to slip downstairs and collapse on the couch next to her John. Randy turned around as if reading her mind knowing that there was something wrong. If he did, she wouldn't be surprised. They had a creepy relationship for as long as they could remember, whatever one was feeling the other one was usually feeling the same thing. Everyone said it was because they were soul mates but for the longest time they decided it had to be because they spent so much time together. No words were exchanged, none were needed. He walked over to her and dragged her out the front door. "We need to go for a walk guys." He pulled her outside and closed the door behind him.

The neighborhood was quieter than usual. A few people saw the couple and ran over for autographs, or lectured the two of them for not visiting more often, even a few offers for dinner was offered. When the people were finally gone she looked deep into Randy's blue eyes and wondered how they seemed to share everything, even eye color. She focused and decided she needed to talk to someone after all. "Randy, I don't remember what happened last night. Like, I keep drifting off and then I remember part of it… but that's it…" Her voice trailed off and she gave Randy a confused look.

"We weren't supposed to tell you anything so you remember everything on your own and no damage was done. Last night you got a concussion." He gently rubbed the cut on her forehead. They locked eyes again and they shared yet another thing, a look that neither one of them could interpret.

They went inside and ate lunch and began to watch some TV. Some of them played some games but Nikki and Randy decided to stay put on the couch. Just then Nikki's cousin Stephanie popped through the front door. Unwelcome was Stephanie's middle name, but Nikki just didn't have the heart to tell her older cousin to get out.

"I can't believe you'd stay in such a dump. Whatever, Daddy said you all have to go to the arena and get ready for your punishment or something… I don't know." She shot them all that infamous McMahon evil stare. "Now seems like a good time to go. Besides, it's disgusting here and I really don't feel like getting shot." She turned on her heels and strode out the front door. Nikki went out after her and received a dirty look from Stephanie. Apparently she did something wrong, if only she could remember what it was that she did. She figured it had to do with missing the meeting this morning and shrugged it off. This time Nikki, Stephanie, and the four wrestlers filed into a black stretch Hummer limo. The inside was covered in black leather with two strips of black lights toward the roof. She leaned her head up against the seat. What was happening? She caught her very married cousin flirting with John, but was too out of her mind to care. Everyone was acting so weird lately… Think… Think… THINK! What happened last night that was so horrible? She remember the pyros going off, and flying into the air…

Just as it was all coming back to her the limo stopped in front of the arena. The hopped out and on the front door was a sign from the boss himself.

Show Cancelled Tonight.

Meet at the Courthouse down the Street.

**DON'T BE LATE!**

-Vincent Kennedy McMahon

Now What? Randy shot her a look she'd never seen before, and she couldn't even begin to dissect it. She started shaking as they all went back into the limo in complete silence. Even the loudest person, Stephanie, was in complete shock and managed to keep her mouth shut the whole time. She finally remembered what happened.

But, they were just kids. They didn't do anything wrong, especially nothing to sue them over. They were only playing with the equipment, Randy and her did the same thing all the time when they were that age and they never got sued. They didn't mean to hit the ring, they were so small, they were from Make a Wish!

Thoughts flooded inside her mind and her heart began to race. It was all her fault that these families lives were going to change forever, and they already had enough to worry about. She sighed, if only she was smart enough to stop them and tell them not to play with it.

She snapped back to reality. When did she walk into the Courtroom? She looked to her left and saw two small faces, a boy and a girl. They looked like complete clones of her and Randy when they were little. Next to them were their parents. The mother was pale, short, and skinny. Her brown bob was flat and looked dirty. Mascara ran down her face and it was obvious she had been crying all morning. The father looked old. Grey hair covered his thinning head and you could tell her was balding in the back. He looked sad, like he was just told the worst news. Nikki realized he probably had and quickly turned away.

The judge droned on and on in the back of her mind as she was called as a witness. As she swore in she came up with a plan to tell the whole story to the judge and hopefully nothing bad would happen. The prosecutor asked a gazillion and one questions, but none that left her the opportunity to tell what really happened. And every time she tried she was threatened to spend the night in jail. When she was told to sit back down she protested until a big security guard personally escorted her back to her seat. She sighed and sat back in her seat. The trial was over and there was nothing she could do now. She began to feel even more depressed. The judge left the room to consider what he was going to do. Nikki looked to her right at five blank stares into the middle of nowhere. No one understood what was happening or why Vince had to take it this far. Next to Stephanie was Vince, who was wearing a large grin. He must have planned the whole thing, she thought to herself and sighed. Randy put his arm around her and she put her head onto his shoulder again. The judge walked back to his place and told everyone to listen.

"I charge the defense to pay $250,000 to Vincent McMahon for damages to a ring, and putting others in danger. Because they are only seven years old I'm going easy on you. As parents you must pay the full price for their actions. Case is dismissed." The gravel hit the wood and heads fell. The sobs coming from the mother were loud and caused tears to stream down Nikki's cheeks. Kids, children from Make a Wish. These kids had something wrong with them, they didn't have enough time left as it is and now their parents were being forced to pay for something that wasn't those kids fault.

All of a sudden she had a great idea. She could pay the $250,000 for them. She ran to the older couple and told them the whole story. At first they were both furious with Nikki but when she offered to pay the bill for them she was in the middle of a bear hug. She wrote a check and ran out the door to catch up with Randy.

"I paid for… " Randy cut her off.

"For the bill… I know. I saw. I'm really proud of you Nik."

"Thanks, I'm proud of me too. It's about time the money helped me for once." She grabbed Randy's hand and pulled him forward. "Come on, let's go home." She walked past Vince and he gave her that infamous glare. Did he really think he had her beat? They got in the limo and drove off, not even bothering to look back.


End file.
